Hello all you HP fans. It's a splendid, splendid day is it not? *sighs *
well maybe in Hawaii, but it's dreary here. SO dreary, in fact, that I'm
writing this fic to relieve the boredom. It's yet another one-shot-songfic
by the great works of moi. I hope you all enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor do I own the song 'Crazy for This Girl.' By Evan and Jaron.
On with the story!
'Crazy For This Girl' - An R/H one-shot songfic.
Platform 9( was crowded with families, as the train slowly rolled into the station. The steam rising from the train made it seem like a thick fog was blanketing the ground. When the train finally came to a complete stop, the doors slowly opened, and one of the first people to disembark was none other than the prefect Hermione Granger, followed closely by another fellow prefect Ron Weasely.
It was a rather grim time for the both of them, for their best friend, the famous Harry Potter, was not among them on the train. For, you see, Harry had gone off to find Lord Voldemort. He wanted to end the war, and in doing so, save the wizarding world.
"Welcome home Ron! Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley beamed at them, but they both knew how hard it was on her too. Mrs. Weasley was like the mother Harry never had.
They forced a smile upon their faces, and hugged Mrs. Weasley. This year, she was the only one who had come to see them.
"Where's dad?" Ron asked his mum, as they collected his trunk.
"He's off at the Ministry, working overtime." Ron didn't fail to hear the edge of loneliness in her voice.
Meanwhile, Hermione had gathered her trunk, and was looking for her muggle parents. She finally spotted them, and at the same time, they spotted her. After a brief reunion with her parents, Hermione went back to see Ron.
"I'm leaving now," she said.
"I can walk you to the car . . . " Ron trailed off, and Hermione instantly understood his need.
"Sure." She said, not wanting to be alone herself.
They chatted amicably on the way to the car. Mrs. Weasley, and Mr. and Mrs. Granger hovering close behind. "Well, goodbye then." Hermione said, getting into the car.
"You'll write?" Ron asked, as she rolled the window down.
"Of course. And I expect you to write me back."
For the first time in many days, Ron grinned at her.
"You know I will."
She smiled back, and Ron felt a quiver of excitement in his stomach. ~I must be hungry~ he thought, staring at it.
The cars whizzed by Hermione's vehicle, as it slowly drove off. Ron saw her wave from the backseat.
"Goodbye Ron!"
And even through all the noise surrounding him, he heard every single word as if she'd whispered it in his ear.
"Goodbye Hermione." He said quietly.
~Maybe Hermione's not such a bad girl after all . . . ~ he thought, as he followed his mother off of the platform.
The last summer of childhood had begun.
~ She rolls the window down
And she
Talks over the sound
Of the cars that pass us by
And I don't know why
But she's changed my mind~
* * * *
Ron had been back at the burrow for a few days, when he received a letter from Hermione. He had been sleeping soundly, when a noise awoke him out of his slumber. When he forced his sleepy eyes open, he saw an owl sitting on the edge of his bed, a letter tied to its leg. Ron reached over, and pulled it off.
By the time he had opened the letter, and sent the owl off, Ron was fully awake, He held the letter in front of him, and scanned it's contents.
Dear Ron:
I promised you I would write, so I am. It can be so lonely at my house, what with my parents working and all. I miss you and Harry so very much! I hope nothing bad has happened to Harry . . . No! I promised myself that I wouldn't think of that. How's your summer so far? I know this may sound a bit forward of me, but my parents think it would be better if I were close to some of my friends this summer, and they want to send me to the Burrow. Do you think you could ask your mum, and see if it's convenient? I hope to see you soon Ron!
Love from Hermione
When Ron put down the letter, his heart started pounding faster, for reasons he couldn't begin to fathom. ~I must be getting sick~ he thought to himself. He folded the letter back up, and dragged himself out of bed.
"Morning mum!" Ron said brightly, when he arrived downstairs.
Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly at him.
"Ahh, there you are, and just in time too. I was just about to call you for breakfast."
She indicated the table, where his sister, Ginny, was already sitting.
"Morning Ron." She greeted him sleepily.
"Heya Gin." He felt a yawn escape him, and sat at his place at the table across from Ginny. It was then he noticed there were only three places set up.
"Is dad working early again?" Ron asked.
Mrs. Weasley looked grim.
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
They were all silent for a few moments. The only sound being the scraping of plates and the other assorted noises that the burrow had accumulated over the years.
"I got a letter from Hermione this morning." Ron said, breaking the silence.
"That's nice dear. What did she say?" his mother asked.
"Well . . . " Ron cleared his throat. His mother and Ginny were now looking at him expectantly.
"Her parents want to send her to the burrow for the summer, if that's ok . . . " he trailed off.
Mrs. Weasley's face broke into a smile.
"Why Ron!" she exclaimed. "That's wonderful. Of course she can! Owl her back, and tell her to come as soon as possible. I was afraid you two kids would be lonely this summer, what with all your brothers helping to fight the war."
He noticed the bitterness her voice had acquired.
"Mum. Dad, Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie are going to be alright."
Mrs. Weasley's face went pale.
"Excuse me." His mother left the table, and went upstairs.
"That was so bloody brilliant of you Ron." Ginny said, glaring at him.
"Shut up Ginny." He retorted. He pushed his plate away from the table, and stood up, retreating from the room.
"I'm not doing the dishes!" he heard Ginny yell.
"Do I care?" Ron mumbled.
* * * *
Ron slammed his bedroom door shut, making the walls rattle. He was in a foul mood. ~Why do I always have to open my big mouth? ~ He wondered. He picked up some spare parchment on his desk, and took out a bottle of ink, along with his favorite quill.
"Hmmm . . . " he wondered. ~What to say . . . what to say . . . ~
Ron took a deep breath, and picked up his quill to write. A few minutes later, he put the quill down, satisfied that he'd done a good job. He reread his letter.
Dear Hermione:
Of course it's ok for you to come. My mum says she didn't want us kids to be lonely, and I reckon she needs something else to think about besides my brothers right now. My summer has been pretty boring, so the sooner you come, the better. See you soon!
Ron
When Ron finished reading it, he put it in an envelope, and called Pig. Pig came zooming through his partly open doorway. Ron sighed. ~Why do I have such a ruddy hyper owl? ~ He wondered. He eventually managed to hold Pig still long enough to tie the letter to his leg. Pig zoomed out the window.
"Now to wait . . . oh what a joy THAT will be." Ron muttered to himself.
* * * *
Three long, agonizing days later, the reply from Hermione came.
It was early in the morning, when Pig woke him up. He was having a dream about Hermione. She was crying about the war, and Ron had walked in on her. He was about two seconds away from kissing her in his dream, when a loud hoot in his ear woke him up.
"Pig . . . " he grumbled. "You have the worst timing."
Sleepily, Ron reached over to pry the letter off Pig's leg. He slowly tore open the letter, fighting off sleep. When he finished reading it, he sat there in silence for a moment. Then the realization hit him. Hermione was coming to the burrow that very day.
"Ruddy hell!" he yelled.
"RON WEASLEY? DID I JUST HEAR YOU SWEAR?" Mrs. Weasley's angry voice came from the kitchen.
Ron ran downstairs, not caring how much noise he made.
"MUM! MUM!" he said, breathless when he reached the kitchen.
"What is it?" she looked anxious.
"Hermione's coming today!" he said in between breaths.
"Splendid! You shall have a lot of fun with her I expect. When is she coming?"
"Sometime tonight."
"Well you'll have all day to clean then." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Aww Mum . . . " Ron groaned.
"Don't you start with me young man! Now get on up to your room. I expect it's a mess."
Reluctantly, Ron turned on his heel and headed upstairs. When he passed by Ginny's room, he saw the door open a crack.
"Go back to bed Gin. It's early." he said grumpily.
"What are YOU doing up so early then?" she asked, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.
"I'm going back to sleep." He faked a yawn.
Ginny merely shrugged, and shut her door.
"That was close . . . " Ron muttered, opening his bedroom door.
He picked his way through the mess, and flopped on the bed. Unknowingly, he let his mind wander to Hermione.
Ever since fifth year, Ron started feeling awkward around her, but he couldn't understand why. They'd spent a lot of time together last year, because Harry was "emotionally unstable." The more time they spent together, the more he realized how pretty she had become. He was often staring transfixed at her, and had been caught on more than one occasion. Ron still recalled the one time she had stared back into his eyes, and in that split second, Ron felt his soul being bared to her.
Ron sighed deeply, as he settled more comfortably on his bed. When had Hermione come to mean so much to him? He didn't know, but what he did know, was that he thought about her constantly. He could try to deny it all he wanted (which to this day, he still refused to believe it) but the facts were there, and they spoke for themselves.
Ron fancied Hermione.
And Hermione had no idea what-so-ever. She just carried on with her life, as if Ron were a mere best friend, and not someone special. Someone meaningful. Someone like Ron.
~Would you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she'll figure out
I'm crazy for this girl~
Ron lay on his side now, his mind deep in thought. The war with Voldemort was taking its toll on wizards and muggles alike. It was the muggle borns who were most at risk. The thought of Hermione and her parents being brutally killed was enough to constrict Ron's throat with fear. He remembered with crystal clarity the day Harry left. It was one of the hardest days Ron had ever been though in his life.
~*Flashback*~
The June heat bore down upon the trio, but none of them really felt it. Inside, they were numb and cold with fear. Harry had taken Ron and Hermione down to the lake after their final exam to bear them the news: He was leaving that night to face Voldemort,
" . . . In a final battle" Harry's voice was absolutely devoid of emotion.
Shock adjourned his friend's faces.
"You can't! The prophecy! One of you must die!" Herminoe cried, when she'd gotten her voice back.
"I know about the prophecy Hermione. That's why I have to go." Harry looked calm when he said this, like this wasn't crumbling the earth beneath them.
Ron said nothing, but was struggling with every fiber of his being not to cry.
"I'm saying so long now, because I have to leave soon." Harry said now.
Hermione clung onto him, and Harry hugged her back.
"But what if we never see you again?" she was sobbing now.
"You will. That's a promise I intend to keep."
"You can't promise to live Harry." Hermione was sobbing loudly now, and several people had turned their attention towards the trio now.
"Hermione. Calm down. Everything will work out fine. You'll see." Harry pulled her closer to muffle her sobs. When he finally released her, his robes were soaked with tearstains.
"Goodbye, H-harr-y" Hermione choked out.
"Goodbye mate." Ron said in a voice several octaves above his normal tone.
"Never goodbye. So long."
They watched his retreating back until it was out of sight.
Hermione started crying again, and it was Ron's undoing. He felt the tears stream down his own cheeks, as he felt something warm wrap around his waist. He looked down to see Hermione hugging him.
"We still have each other right?" she whispered through her tears.
"Always." He hugged her back, and the two stayed entwined with each other clinging to the last remains of hope as they watched the day fade away, and with it, the chance that they were ever going to see Harry Potter again, alive.
~*End flashback*~
Ron felt wetness on his hand, as he realized the memory of that day caused yet more tears to fall.
"Harry . . . " He whispered. He wished Hermione was there to hug him again, and wondered why had never really held her before then. He cared for her so much, and wanted to tell her how he felt. ~But it's so hard. So very, very hard . . . ~
Another tear dripped down Ron's cheek.
~She was the one to hold me
The night
The sky fell down
And what was I thinking when
The world didn't end
Why didn't I know what I know now~
* * * *
Ron somehow made it through most of the morning, but by lunchtime, he was positively itching to see Hermione. He wandered around the house, restless. It was cold that day, but Ron still decided to venture outside.
Once outside, Ron walked through the 'forest' beside the house, dredging up forgotten memories, not only of his childhood, but of Hogwarts as well. He remembered his first year, and how he'd been so cruel to Hermione. He cringed at that memory: for he still hadn't gotten over that one yet.
The second year was a bit better. Despite all the terror of the 'Chamber of Secrets', Ron thought it better than his first year. His third year was even better yet, full of adventure with an escaped Azkaban prisoner who turned out to be Harry's godfather. Ron chuckled now. Memories could sometimes be a painful reminder of the past, and all of the stupid things he'd done. If he could've started over, he would have been nicer to Hermione from the beginning.
Suddenly, and image of her popped into his head, and he couldn't help but grin.
"Maybe I don't want to change my past, because then maybe Hermione and I wouldn't even be friends." He said aloud. The thought of him not even knowing her caused a ripple of shock to go through his body, and he stopped dead in his tracks.
"Hermione . . . " he whispered.
He wanted to see her so bad now; it was nearly driving him mad. Ron ran through the forest, and back inside his house, looking for ways to make time go by faster.
~Would you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she'll figure out
I'm crazy for this girl~
As Ron came barreling into the house, Mrs. Weasley was just starting dinner.
"What are you up to Ron?" she smiled at him
"Oh nothing." He said, without thinking.
"Really?" she looked momentarily surprised.
"Yeah" he shrugged.
"Well in that case . . . " Mrs. Weasley's eyes gleamed, and Ron realized his mistake, but it was too late to back out now. He waited with baited breath.
"I was hoping you could de-gnome the garden for me. It hasn't been done in awhile. Gin might come out and help later, but I've got her doing something else for me."
"Sure mom." He said, but inwardly he was groaning.
~Oh great! What a way to spend a bloody afternoon! ~ He went through the kitchen and out the back door, taking his sweet time.
"I want those garden to be empty today Ron! Not next year!" he heard his mother's voice call from the kitchen.
Ron moved a bit faster. As he entered the garden, he saw all the gnomes scatter. Even though he was used to having to find the gnomes, today it made him angry. De-gnoming the garden usually took him three hours, but today it only took him a couple of hours. His anger helped, as he threw them with more fervor than usual, taking his anger out on them.
"Ruddy pests they are." Ron muttered, as a gnome wandered back in the garden, and then plopped over on the ground.
"Mum! I'm done!" he shouted, going back inside.
"So soon?" she asked, greeting him at the back door.
"There weren't that many this time." He said lamely.
Mrs. Weasley glanced at him, but didn't say anything, to Ron's relief.
"Well at any rate, dinner is ready" she gestured to the table, and the three plates.
Ron was smart this time, and kept his mouth shut as he sat in his spot. Ginny came in a few minutes later, looking dusty.
"I'm not going to ask" Ron said.
"Good, 'cause I'm not going to tell." She grinned at him, a little breathless.
"Now kids, I want you to eat up. And be quick about it. Hermione is due here in an hour."
Ron's heart thudded. ~Hermione's coming in an hour! Only an hour left until I get to see her . . . ~ He wasn't aware that he had stopped eating, until Ginny poked him.
"Thinking about a certain 'someone'?" she asked, trying to conceal her smile.
"No! What are you talking about?"
Ginny laughed.
"Oh come off it Ron! Everyone knows that you fancy Her-" Ron clamped a hand over her mouth, whilst Mrs. Weasley looked at her two children.
"What was that Ginny?" she asked.
"If you say anything more about it, I'll tell mum about Draco . . . which by the way I still haven't forgiven you for." He growled softly. Ginny's eyes went wide, and she nodded in silent agreement. He took his hand off her mouth. Mrs. Weasley waited expectantly.
"What was what mum?" Ginny asked.
"What were you saying about Ron fancying someone?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Ron fancies someone? He never told me that! Don't believe everything you hear mum."
Mrs. Weasley peered at her two children underneath her spectacles. They smiled innocently at her. She sighed, and went back to eating, as did Ron and Ginny.
* * * *
At 6:00 that evening, the family gathered in the fireplace, waiting for her arrival.
"Are you sure she's coming by floo powder mum?" Ron asked anxiously.
"Well how else would she come?" she asked.
"She is muggleborn, so she may drive up here."
"Can she even get here?" Mrs. Weasley asked, confused.
At that precise moment, they heard a knock on the door, and a voice.
"I guess she can mum." Ginny said, running to go answer the door.
Ron hung back, as a bout of nervousness suddenly overtook him. His heart was beating so loudly, he was sure his mother could hear it.
"Why don't you go greet Hermione?" his mother asked.
"Oh I will in a minute. I just want to give Ginny a chance to talk to her first. You know how Ginny is."
Mrs. Weasley smiled at him.
"Well you'd best go now, because if Ginny does talk her ear off, you won't see her all night."
Ron took a deep breath. He could hear voices approaching the living room. ~I don't think I can do this~ he thought. He ran a nervous hand through his hair, trying to calm his racing heart.
"Hello Mrs. Weasley." The voice said, breezing into the room.
"Hello Hermione." She smiled at the girl.
Ron looked down at Hermione as she locked eyes with his. ~She's so beautiful! I can't do this! ~
"Hello Ron." She said, smiling at him.
Suddenly the room felt too small. Its walls seemed to be choking him. He needed air.
"Excuse me." He muttered, and quick as lightning, ran out of the room. They heard the back door slam a few seconds later.
"What's up with him?" she asked.
"I haven't the slightest idea." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Maybe you should go talk to him Hermione." Ginny said.
"That's a good idea. I will be back soon."
"Take your time Hermione." Mrs. Weasley called as the girl walked out of the room, and they heard the back door close once more.
* * * *
"Stupid!"
Ron was leaning against the trunk of his favorite tree, an ancient willow. This was where he came to escape his brothers, or his troubles. No one knew about it, except Ginny and himself. Now he was using this tree as an escape from Hermione. He laughed bitterly. ~It's ironic really. I wanted to see her so bad, and now that I can. I don't want to. ~ He heard a voice in the distance, and knew right away whose voice it was.
"Oh great . . . " he muttered. She was bound to find him sooner or later.
He closed his eyes, and sat on the ground. The sun was starting to set.
"Ron? Where are you?" Hermione called out. She was getting worried.
Looking frantically around, Hermione saw an ancient willow off in the distance. Something inside her told her that Ron would be there. She started walking towards the tree, keeping an eye out for Ron, though there was no need. He was, indeed by the tree. He was sitting on the ground, his eyes closed.
"Ron?" she asked tentatively.
His eyes opened, and widened slightly when he saw her.
"Hi." He said lamely.
"Can I sit?" she asked.
He nodded ever so slightly, so Hermione sat down beside him, drawing her legs up to her chest.
"Why did you run off like that?" she asked. "I was worried."
"You were worried?" he looked at her with bewilderment.
"Of course I was worried Ron. You're my friend after all." She said curtly.
"I'm sorry. I knew you were worried it's just . . . " he trailed off.
"What Ron?"
"Nothing" he said
"No, tell me."
"I can't tell you, because I can't even explain it," he mumbled.
"Well try Ron. For my sake." She put a gentle hand on his arm, and Ron felt his arm burn with her touch. He finally had the courage to meet her eyes. They gazed at each other, and in that split second, Ron knew. He felt all his fears leaving him, as he finally admitted it to himself.
He was in love with Hermione Granger.
~Right now
Face to face
All my fears
Pushed aside
And right now
I'm ready to spend the rest of my life
With you~
"Ron?" Hermione asked. He was still staring at her, and the heat of his gaze made her nervous.
"Sorry Hermione." He said, reluctantly dropping his gaze.
"It's quite alright." She said.
"I'm feeling better." He said. "Thank you."
"For what?" Hermione asked, perplexed.
"For making me realize what I'd been stupidly ignoring for the last three years."
"Which was what?" Hermione asked, her heart starting to pound rapidly inside her chest.
~Maybe he's finally come to his senses! ~ She thought.
"That I-" he took a deep breath, and couldn't help but stare at the chocolate brown eyes that melted all his fears away.
"I love you, Hermione Granger."
She stared at him, shock written all over her features. Of all the things she'd been expecting him to say, 'love' wasn't in her immediate vocabulary.
"Um . . . " was all she could say. She bit her lip until she felt a sticky wetness reside there.
Ron was looking at her expectantly. He knew that his answer threw her for a loop, and decided to make the best out of this awkward situation. He stood up, brushing the dust off his robes.
"I'll give you all the time you need to think about this Hermione. You know where I am, and where I'll be waiting."
He leaned over, and gave her a swift kiss on the cheek, before walking back towards the house. She watched his retreating back, feeling the kiss that still burned on her cheek. Hermione stayed where she was, watching the sunset, until the cold and hunger forced her inside the house.
* * * *
A couple of hours later, Hermione made her way up to Ginny's room. She needed some proper time to think this through. She sat on Ginny's bed, her legs curled beneath her, as she wondered how she'd missed such an important thing about Ron.
Ron was one of her best friends, though it seemed lately she'd begun to think of him as more than that, and truth be told, it scared her. A lot. She'd noticed him looking at her quite a few times, and when she stared back, she saw something in his eyes that attracted her to him even more.
Ron knew her fears; he knew what made her laugh, what made her cry. It seemed that Ron knew her even better then she knew herself. She used to think him nothing more than a child, but as of late, she had begun to realize that Ron had done a lot of maturing since his fourth year, and he had grown into a very handsome young man. Hermione couldn't help but blush at the time when she'd reached out and hugged him the day Harry left. To this very day, she still didn't know why she did it. But, looking back on it now, she was glad she did.
Hermione needed someone to hold onto.
Suddenly, Hermione leaped off the bed in abrupt realization. She now knew why she'd hugged Ron that day. She wanted to hold him, and to be held in return. She'd wanted someone to love. She remembered all too well after that day, how much tension was between them. Of course, Hermione had been blind then. Trying to deny the obvious, and while it worked during the day, nothing could stop her dreams of him at night.
But now there was no reason to deny it, not when the recipient of her love loved her back.
Hermione fairly ran downstairs, in search of Ron. She had to tell him. However, Ron was nowhere to be seen.
"Ginny?" Hermione poked her head into the living room; where the younger girl was curled up in an armchair, reading a book. Ginny looked up when Hermione entered.
"Hello Hermione." She smiled warmly at her friend.
"Where's Ron?" she asked.
"I imagine he's outside somewhere." Hermione didn't fail to notice the emphasis on the word 'somewhere'.
"Would you happen to know where?" she asked kindly. "I need to talk to him."
"Well it's a secret . . . " Ginny trailed off. Something in Hermione's brain clicked.
"Thanks Ginny." She said, exiting the room.
She knew exactly where Ron was.
* * * *
Ron sat at his willow tree, wondering when Hermione would come back. Or even if she would at all. He knew that he may have possibly ruined their whole friendship, but this emotion was far too strong for him to keep it inside for very long. Love could be a very fickle friend, and it tended to drop in on you when you least expected it.
"Why did I do it? Why?" he muttered.
Ron closed his eyes, and leaned against the tree. The tree's bark felt rough against his back, and he shifted around so he was more comfortable. A sudden noise off in the distance made Ron open his eyes.
"Oh great, Just what I need, a sisterly interrogation." He grumbled, for he had no doubt, none at all, that Hermione had told Ginny what he'd said to her.
He kept his eyes closed, waiting for impending doom.
A few minutes later, it wasn't Ginny's voice that reached his ears, it was Hermione's.
"Ron? Are you awake?" she asked.
When Ron opened his eyes, Hermione was barely visible in the darkening twilight.
"Yes I'm awake." He said, making room for her to sit, and she sat gingerly.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking this evening. About what you said." She began.
~Leave it for Hermione to be blunt~ he thought, but he was relieved. Small talk would have been rather awkward at the moment.
"Oh?" he questioned. He didn't fail to see the faint line of blush appearing on her cheeks. The moonlight made her face seem paler than death.
"Well . . . I . . . " she trailed off.
Ron looked at her, trying hard not to grin. Suddenly he felt a gentle pressure on his lips, as he slowly realized what was happening.
Hermione was kissing him.
It was the most wonderful, indescribable feeling in the world. It didn't matter that either of them were really experienced, what mattered, was how right it felt.
Ron wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling awkward at first, but Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, and Ron didn't feel so weird. The two gradually grew more comfortable with each other and deepened the kiss.
"Wow." Ron said, breathless. He had pulled apart, and rested his forehead against hers.
"I love you Ron." Hermione whispered.
"Do you really mean it?" he asked, gazing into her eyes.
"With all my heart" she replied, pressing her lips to his once more . . .
~Would you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she'll figure out
I'm crazy for this girl~
~Fin~
A/N: Well it's pretty fluffy, and mushified but that's how most R/H stories are! I may possibly do a sequel, where Harry will come back from the war, and stuff, but that's only if people want me to do it. Please review, because I totally love to hear your comments (bad or good), and I know Ron and Hermione are a bit OOC, but what can I do? Until next time. Ja ne! Bandana Gurl ~_^
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor do I own the song 'Crazy for This Girl.' By Evan and Jaron.
On with the story!
'Crazy For This Girl' - An R/H one-shot songfic.
Platform 9( was crowded with families, as the train slowly rolled into the station. The steam rising from the train made it seem like a thick fog was blanketing the ground. When the train finally came to a complete stop, the doors slowly opened, and one of the first people to disembark was none other than the prefect Hermione Granger, followed closely by another fellow prefect Ron Weasely.
It was a rather grim time for the both of them, for their best friend, the famous Harry Potter, was not among them on the train. For, you see, Harry had gone off to find Lord Voldemort. He wanted to end the war, and in doing so, save the wizarding world.
"Welcome home Ron! Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley beamed at them, but they both knew how hard it was on her too. Mrs. Weasley was like the mother Harry never had.
They forced a smile upon their faces, and hugged Mrs. Weasley. This year, she was the only one who had come to see them.
"Where's dad?" Ron asked his mum, as they collected his trunk.
"He's off at the Ministry, working overtime." Ron didn't fail to hear the edge of loneliness in her voice.
Meanwhile, Hermione had gathered her trunk, and was looking for her muggle parents. She finally spotted them, and at the same time, they spotted her. After a brief reunion with her parents, Hermione went back to see Ron.
"I'm leaving now," she said.
"I can walk you to the car . . . " Ron trailed off, and Hermione instantly understood his need.
"Sure." She said, not wanting to be alone herself.
They chatted amicably on the way to the car. Mrs. Weasley, and Mr. and Mrs. Granger hovering close behind. "Well, goodbye then." Hermione said, getting into the car.
"You'll write?" Ron asked, as she rolled the window down.
"Of course. And I expect you to write me back."
For the first time in many days, Ron grinned at her.
"You know I will."
She smiled back, and Ron felt a quiver of excitement in his stomach. ~I must be hungry~ he thought, staring at it.
The cars whizzed by Hermione's vehicle, as it slowly drove off. Ron saw her wave from the backseat.
"Goodbye Ron!"
And even through all the noise surrounding him, he heard every single word as if she'd whispered it in his ear.
"Goodbye Hermione." He said quietly.
~Maybe Hermione's not such a bad girl after all . . . ~ he thought, as he followed his mother off of the platform.
The last summer of childhood had begun.
~ She rolls the window down
And she
Talks over the sound
Of the cars that pass us by
And I don't know why
But she's changed my mind~
* * * *
Ron had been back at the burrow for a few days, when he received a letter from Hermione. He had been sleeping soundly, when a noise awoke him out of his slumber. When he forced his sleepy eyes open, he saw an owl sitting on the edge of his bed, a letter tied to its leg. Ron reached over, and pulled it off.
By the time he had opened the letter, and sent the owl off, Ron was fully awake, He held the letter in front of him, and scanned it's contents.
Dear Ron:
I promised you I would write, so I am. It can be so lonely at my house, what with my parents working and all. I miss you and Harry so very much! I hope nothing bad has happened to Harry . . . No! I promised myself that I wouldn't think of that. How's your summer so far? I know this may sound a bit forward of me, but my parents think it would be better if I were close to some of my friends this summer, and they want to send me to the Burrow. Do you think you could ask your mum, and see if it's convenient? I hope to see you soon Ron!
Love from Hermione
When Ron put down the letter, his heart started pounding faster, for reasons he couldn't begin to fathom. ~I must be getting sick~ he thought to himself. He folded the letter back up, and dragged himself out of bed.
"Morning mum!" Ron said brightly, when he arrived downstairs.
Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly at him.
"Ahh, there you are, and just in time too. I was just about to call you for breakfast."
She indicated the table, where his sister, Ginny, was already sitting.
"Morning Ron." She greeted him sleepily.
"Heya Gin." He felt a yawn escape him, and sat at his place at the table across from Ginny. It was then he noticed there were only three places set up.
"Is dad working early again?" Ron asked.
Mrs. Weasley looked grim.
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
They were all silent for a few moments. The only sound being the scraping of plates and the other assorted noises that the burrow had accumulated over the years.
"I got a letter from Hermione this morning." Ron said, breaking the silence.
"That's nice dear. What did she say?" his mother asked.
"Well . . . " Ron cleared his throat. His mother and Ginny were now looking at him expectantly.
"Her parents want to send her to the burrow for the summer, if that's ok . . . " he trailed off.
Mrs. Weasley's face broke into a smile.
"Why Ron!" she exclaimed. "That's wonderful. Of course she can! Owl her back, and tell her to come as soon as possible. I was afraid you two kids would be lonely this summer, what with all your brothers helping to fight the war."
He noticed the bitterness her voice had acquired.
"Mum. Dad, Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie are going to be alright."
Mrs. Weasley's face went pale.
"Excuse me." His mother left the table, and went upstairs.
"That was so bloody brilliant of you Ron." Ginny said, glaring at him.
"Shut up Ginny." He retorted. He pushed his plate away from the table, and stood up, retreating from the room.
"I'm not doing the dishes!" he heard Ginny yell.
"Do I care?" Ron mumbled.
* * * *
Ron slammed his bedroom door shut, making the walls rattle. He was in a foul mood. ~Why do I always have to open my big mouth? ~ He wondered. He picked up some spare parchment on his desk, and took out a bottle of ink, along with his favorite quill.
"Hmmm . . . " he wondered. ~What to say . . . what to say . . . ~
Ron took a deep breath, and picked up his quill to write. A few minutes later, he put the quill down, satisfied that he'd done a good job. He reread his letter.
Dear Hermione:
Of course it's ok for you to come. My mum says she didn't want us kids to be lonely, and I reckon she needs something else to think about besides my brothers right now. My summer has been pretty boring, so the sooner you come, the better. See you soon!
Ron
When Ron finished reading it, he put it in an envelope, and called Pig. Pig came zooming through his partly open doorway. Ron sighed. ~Why do I have such a ruddy hyper owl? ~ He wondered. He eventually managed to hold Pig still long enough to tie the letter to his leg. Pig zoomed out the window.
"Now to wait . . . oh what a joy THAT will be." Ron muttered to himself.
* * * *
Three long, agonizing days later, the reply from Hermione came.
It was early in the morning, when Pig woke him up. He was having a dream about Hermione. She was crying about the war, and Ron had walked in on her. He was about two seconds away from kissing her in his dream, when a loud hoot in his ear woke him up.
"Pig . . . " he grumbled. "You have the worst timing."
Sleepily, Ron reached over to pry the letter off Pig's leg. He slowly tore open the letter, fighting off sleep. When he finished reading it, he sat there in silence for a moment. Then the realization hit him. Hermione was coming to the burrow that very day.
"Ruddy hell!" he yelled.
"RON WEASLEY? DID I JUST HEAR YOU SWEAR?" Mrs. Weasley's angry voice came from the kitchen.
Ron ran downstairs, not caring how much noise he made.
"MUM! MUM!" he said, breathless when he reached the kitchen.
"What is it?" she looked anxious.
"Hermione's coming today!" he said in between breaths.
"Splendid! You shall have a lot of fun with her I expect. When is she coming?"
"Sometime tonight."
"Well you'll have all day to clean then." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Aww Mum . . . " Ron groaned.
"Don't you start with me young man! Now get on up to your room. I expect it's a mess."
Reluctantly, Ron turned on his heel and headed upstairs. When he passed by Ginny's room, he saw the door open a crack.
"Go back to bed Gin. It's early." he said grumpily.
"What are YOU doing up so early then?" she asked, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.
"I'm going back to sleep." He faked a yawn.
Ginny merely shrugged, and shut her door.
"That was close . . . " Ron muttered, opening his bedroom door.
He picked his way through the mess, and flopped on the bed. Unknowingly, he let his mind wander to Hermione.
Ever since fifth year, Ron started feeling awkward around her, but he couldn't understand why. They'd spent a lot of time together last year, because Harry was "emotionally unstable." The more time they spent together, the more he realized how pretty she had become. He was often staring transfixed at her, and had been caught on more than one occasion. Ron still recalled the one time she had stared back into his eyes, and in that split second, Ron felt his soul being bared to her.
Ron sighed deeply, as he settled more comfortably on his bed. When had Hermione come to mean so much to him? He didn't know, but what he did know, was that he thought about her constantly. He could try to deny it all he wanted (which to this day, he still refused to believe it) but the facts were there, and they spoke for themselves.
Ron fancied Hermione.
And Hermione had no idea what-so-ever. She just carried on with her life, as if Ron were a mere best friend, and not someone special. Someone meaningful. Someone like Ron.
~Would you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she'll figure out
I'm crazy for this girl~
Ron lay on his side now, his mind deep in thought. The war with Voldemort was taking its toll on wizards and muggles alike. It was the muggle borns who were most at risk. The thought of Hermione and her parents being brutally killed was enough to constrict Ron's throat with fear. He remembered with crystal clarity the day Harry left. It was one of the hardest days Ron had ever been though in his life.
~*Flashback*~
The June heat bore down upon the trio, but none of them really felt it. Inside, they were numb and cold with fear. Harry had taken Ron and Hermione down to the lake after their final exam to bear them the news: He was leaving that night to face Voldemort,
" . . . In a final battle" Harry's voice was absolutely devoid of emotion.
Shock adjourned his friend's faces.
"You can't! The prophecy! One of you must die!" Herminoe cried, when she'd gotten her voice back.
"I know about the prophecy Hermione. That's why I have to go." Harry looked calm when he said this, like this wasn't crumbling the earth beneath them.
Ron said nothing, but was struggling with every fiber of his being not to cry.
"I'm saying so long now, because I have to leave soon." Harry said now.
Hermione clung onto him, and Harry hugged her back.
"But what if we never see you again?" she was sobbing now.
"You will. That's a promise I intend to keep."
"You can't promise to live Harry." Hermione was sobbing loudly now, and several people had turned their attention towards the trio now.
"Hermione. Calm down. Everything will work out fine. You'll see." Harry pulled her closer to muffle her sobs. When he finally released her, his robes were soaked with tearstains.
"Goodbye, H-harr-y" Hermione choked out.
"Goodbye mate." Ron said in a voice several octaves above his normal tone.
"Never goodbye. So long."
They watched his retreating back until it was out of sight.
Hermione started crying again, and it was Ron's undoing. He felt the tears stream down his own cheeks, as he felt something warm wrap around his waist. He looked down to see Hermione hugging him.
"We still have each other right?" she whispered through her tears.
"Always." He hugged her back, and the two stayed entwined with each other clinging to the last remains of hope as they watched the day fade away, and with it, the chance that they were ever going to see Harry Potter again, alive.
~*End flashback*~
Ron felt wetness on his hand, as he realized the memory of that day caused yet more tears to fall.
"Harry . . . " He whispered. He wished Hermione was there to hug him again, and wondered why had never really held her before then. He cared for her so much, and wanted to tell her how he felt. ~But it's so hard. So very, very hard . . . ~
Another tear dripped down Ron's cheek.
~She was the one to hold me
The night
The sky fell down
And what was I thinking when
The world didn't end
Why didn't I know what I know now~
* * * *
Ron somehow made it through most of the morning, but by lunchtime, he was positively itching to see Hermione. He wandered around the house, restless. It was cold that day, but Ron still decided to venture outside.
Once outside, Ron walked through the 'forest' beside the house, dredging up forgotten memories, not only of his childhood, but of Hogwarts as well. He remembered his first year, and how he'd been so cruel to Hermione. He cringed at that memory: for he still hadn't gotten over that one yet.
The second year was a bit better. Despite all the terror of the 'Chamber of Secrets', Ron thought it better than his first year. His third year was even better yet, full of adventure with an escaped Azkaban prisoner who turned out to be Harry's godfather. Ron chuckled now. Memories could sometimes be a painful reminder of the past, and all of the stupid things he'd done. If he could've started over, he would have been nicer to Hermione from the beginning.
Suddenly, and image of her popped into his head, and he couldn't help but grin.
"Maybe I don't want to change my past, because then maybe Hermione and I wouldn't even be friends." He said aloud. The thought of him not even knowing her caused a ripple of shock to go through his body, and he stopped dead in his tracks.
"Hermione . . . " he whispered.
He wanted to see her so bad now; it was nearly driving him mad. Ron ran through the forest, and back inside his house, looking for ways to make time go by faster.
~Would you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she'll figure out
I'm crazy for this girl~
As Ron came barreling into the house, Mrs. Weasley was just starting dinner.
"What are you up to Ron?" she smiled at him
"Oh nothing." He said, without thinking.
"Really?" she looked momentarily surprised.
"Yeah" he shrugged.
"Well in that case . . . " Mrs. Weasley's eyes gleamed, and Ron realized his mistake, but it was too late to back out now. He waited with baited breath.
"I was hoping you could de-gnome the garden for me. It hasn't been done in awhile. Gin might come out and help later, but I've got her doing something else for me."
"Sure mom." He said, but inwardly he was groaning.
~Oh great! What a way to spend a bloody afternoon! ~ He went through the kitchen and out the back door, taking his sweet time.
"I want those garden to be empty today Ron! Not next year!" he heard his mother's voice call from the kitchen.
Ron moved a bit faster. As he entered the garden, he saw all the gnomes scatter. Even though he was used to having to find the gnomes, today it made him angry. De-gnoming the garden usually took him three hours, but today it only took him a couple of hours. His anger helped, as he threw them with more fervor than usual, taking his anger out on them.
"Ruddy pests they are." Ron muttered, as a gnome wandered back in the garden, and then plopped over on the ground.
"Mum! I'm done!" he shouted, going back inside.
"So soon?" she asked, greeting him at the back door.
"There weren't that many this time." He said lamely.
Mrs. Weasley glanced at him, but didn't say anything, to Ron's relief.
"Well at any rate, dinner is ready" she gestured to the table, and the three plates.
Ron was smart this time, and kept his mouth shut as he sat in his spot. Ginny came in a few minutes later, looking dusty.
"I'm not going to ask" Ron said.
"Good, 'cause I'm not going to tell." She grinned at him, a little breathless.
"Now kids, I want you to eat up. And be quick about it. Hermione is due here in an hour."
Ron's heart thudded. ~Hermione's coming in an hour! Only an hour left until I get to see her . . . ~ He wasn't aware that he had stopped eating, until Ginny poked him.
"Thinking about a certain 'someone'?" she asked, trying to conceal her smile.
"No! What are you talking about?"
Ginny laughed.
"Oh come off it Ron! Everyone knows that you fancy Her-" Ron clamped a hand over her mouth, whilst Mrs. Weasley looked at her two children.
"What was that Ginny?" she asked.
"If you say anything more about it, I'll tell mum about Draco . . . which by the way I still haven't forgiven you for." He growled softly. Ginny's eyes went wide, and she nodded in silent agreement. He took his hand off her mouth. Mrs. Weasley waited expectantly.
"What was what mum?" Ginny asked.
"What were you saying about Ron fancying someone?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Ron fancies someone? He never told me that! Don't believe everything you hear mum."
Mrs. Weasley peered at her two children underneath her spectacles. They smiled innocently at her. She sighed, and went back to eating, as did Ron and Ginny.
* * * *
At 6:00 that evening, the family gathered in the fireplace, waiting for her arrival.
"Are you sure she's coming by floo powder mum?" Ron asked anxiously.
"Well how else would she come?" she asked.
"She is muggleborn, so she may drive up here."
"Can she even get here?" Mrs. Weasley asked, confused.
At that precise moment, they heard a knock on the door, and a voice.
"I guess she can mum." Ginny said, running to go answer the door.
Ron hung back, as a bout of nervousness suddenly overtook him. His heart was beating so loudly, he was sure his mother could hear it.
"Why don't you go greet Hermione?" his mother asked.
"Oh I will in a minute. I just want to give Ginny a chance to talk to her first. You know how Ginny is."
Mrs. Weasley smiled at him.
"Well you'd best go now, because if Ginny does talk her ear off, you won't see her all night."
Ron took a deep breath. He could hear voices approaching the living room. ~I don't think I can do this~ he thought. He ran a nervous hand through his hair, trying to calm his racing heart.
"Hello Mrs. Weasley." The voice said, breezing into the room.
"Hello Hermione." She smiled at the girl.
Ron looked down at Hermione as she locked eyes with his. ~She's so beautiful! I can't do this! ~
"Hello Ron." She said, smiling at him.
Suddenly the room felt too small. Its walls seemed to be choking him. He needed air.
"Excuse me." He muttered, and quick as lightning, ran out of the room. They heard the back door slam a few seconds later.
"What's up with him?" she asked.
"I haven't the slightest idea." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Maybe you should go talk to him Hermione." Ginny said.
"That's a good idea. I will be back soon."
"Take your time Hermione." Mrs. Weasley called as the girl walked out of the room, and they heard the back door close once more.
* * * *
"Stupid!"
Ron was leaning against the trunk of his favorite tree, an ancient willow. This was where he came to escape his brothers, or his troubles. No one knew about it, except Ginny and himself. Now he was using this tree as an escape from Hermione. He laughed bitterly. ~It's ironic really. I wanted to see her so bad, and now that I can. I don't want to. ~ He heard a voice in the distance, and knew right away whose voice it was.
"Oh great . . . " he muttered. She was bound to find him sooner or later.
He closed his eyes, and sat on the ground. The sun was starting to set.
"Ron? Where are you?" Hermione called out. She was getting worried.
Looking frantically around, Hermione saw an ancient willow off in the distance. Something inside her told her that Ron would be there. She started walking towards the tree, keeping an eye out for Ron, though there was no need. He was, indeed by the tree. He was sitting on the ground, his eyes closed.
"Ron?" she asked tentatively.
His eyes opened, and widened slightly when he saw her.
"Hi." He said lamely.
"Can I sit?" she asked.
He nodded ever so slightly, so Hermione sat down beside him, drawing her legs up to her chest.
"Why did you run off like that?" she asked. "I was worried."
"You were worried?" he looked at her with bewilderment.
"Of course I was worried Ron. You're my friend after all." She said curtly.
"I'm sorry. I knew you were worried it's just . . . " he trailed off.
"What Ron?"
"Nothing" he said
"No, tell me."
"I can't tell you, because I can't even explain it," he mumbled.
"Well try Ron. For my sake." She put a gentle hand on his arm, and Ron felt his arm burn with her touch. He finally had the courage to meet her eyes. They gazed at each other, and in that split second, Ron knew. He felt all his fears leaving him, as he finally admitted it to himself.
He was in love with Hermione Granger.
~Right now
Face to face
All my fears
Pushed aside
And right now
I'm ready to spend the rest of my life
With you~
"Ron?" Hermione asked. He was still staring at her, and the heat of his gaze made her nervous.
"Sorry Hermione." He said, reluctantly dropping his gaze.
"It's quite alright." She said.
"I'm feeling better." He said. "Thank you."
"For what?" Hermione asked, perplexed.
"For making me realize what I'd been stupidly ignoring for the last three years."
"Which was what?" Hermione asked, her heart starting to pound rapidly inside her chest.
~Maybe he's finally come to his senses! ~ She thought.
"That I-" he took a deep breath, and couldn't help but stare at the chocolate brown eyes that melted all his fears away.
"I love you, Hermione Granger."
She stared at him, shock written all over her features. Of all the things she'd been expecting him to say, 'love' wasn't in her immediate vocabulary.
"Um . . . " was all she could say. She bit her lip until she felt a sticky wetness reside there.
Ron was looking at her expectantly. He knew that his answer threw her for a loop, and decided to make the best out of this awkward situation. He stood up, brushing the dust off his robes.
"I'll give you all the time you need to think about this Hermione. You know where I am, and where I'll be waiting."
He leaned over, and gave her a swift kiss on the cheek, before walking back towards the house. She watched his retreating back, feeling the kiss that still burned on her cheek. Hermione stayed where she was, watching the sunset, until the cold and hunger forced her inside the house.
* * * *
A couple of hours later, Hermione made her way up to Ginny's room. She needed some proper time to think this through. She sat on Ginny's bed, her legs curled beneath her, as she wondered how she'd missed such an important thing about Ron.
Ron was one of her best friends, though it seemed lately she'd begun to think of him as more than that, and truth be told, it scared her. A lot. She'd noticed him looking at her quite a few times, and when she stared back, she saw something in his eyes that attracted her to him even more.
Ron knew her fears; he knew what made her laugh, what made her cry. It seemed that Ron knew her even better then she knew herself. She used to think him nothing more than a child, but as of late, she had begun to realize that Ron had done a lot of maturing since his fourth year, and he had grown into a very handsome young man. Hermione couldn't help but blush at the time when she'd reached out and hugged him the day Harry left. To this very day, she still didn't know why she did it. But, looking back on it now, she was glad she did.
Hermione needed someone to hold onto.
Suddenly, Hermione leaped off the bed in abrupt realization. She now knew why she'd hugged Ron that day. She wanted to hold him, and to be held in return. She'd wanted someone to love. She remembered all too well after that day, how much tension was between them. Of course, Hermione had been blind then. Trying to deny the obvious, and while it worked during the day, nothing could stop her dreams of him at night.
But now there was no reason to deny it, not when the recipient of her love loved her back.
Hermione fairly ran downstairs, in search of Ron. She had to tell him. However, Ron was nowhere to be seen.
"Ginny?" Hermione poked her head into the living room; where the younger girl was curled up in an armchair, reading a book. Ginny looked up when Hermione entered.
"Hello Hermione." She smiled warmly at her friend.
"Where's Ron?" she asked.
"I imagine he's outside somewhere." Hermione didn't fail to notice the emphasis on the word 'somewhere'.
"Would you happen to know where?" she asked kindly. "I need to talk to him."
"Well it's a secret . . . " Ginny trailed off. Something in Hermione's brain clicked.
"Thanks Ginny." She said, exiting the room.
She knew exactly where Ron was.
* * * *
Ron sat at his willow tree, wondering when Hermione would come back. Or even if she would at all. He knew that he may have possibly ruined their whole friendship, but this emotion was far too strong for him to keep it inside for very long. Love could be a very fickle friend, and it tended to drop in on you when you least expected it.
"Why did I do it? Why?" he muttered.
Ron closed his eyes, and leaned against the tree. The tree's bark felt rough against his back, and he shifted around so he was more comfortable. A sudden noise off in the distance made Ron open his eyes.
"Oh great, Just what I need, a sisterly interrogation." He grumbled, for he had no doubt, none at all, that Hermione had told Ginny what he'd said to her.
He kept his eyes closed, waiting for impending doom.
A few minutes later, it wasn't Ginny's voice that reached his ears, it was Hermione's.
"Ron? Are you awake?" she asked.
When Ron opened his eyes, Hermione was barely visible in the darkening twilight.
"Yes I'm awake." He said, making room for her to sit, and she sat gingerly.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking this evening. About what you said." She began.
~Leave it for Hermione to be blunt~ he thought, but he was relieved. Small talk would have been rather awkward at the moment.
"Oh?" he questioned. He didn't fail to see the faint line of blush appearing on her cheeks. The moonlight made her face seem paler than death.
"Well . . . I . . . " she trailed off.
Ron looked at her, trying hard not to grin. Suddenly he felt a gentle pressure on his lips, as he slowly realized what was happening.
Hermione was kissing him.
It was the most wonderful, indescribable feeling in the world. It didn't matter that either of them were really experienced, what mattered, was how right it felt.
Ron wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling awkward at first, but Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, and Ron didn't feel so weird. The two gradually grew more comfortable with each other and deepened the kiss.
"Wow." Ron said, breathless. He had pulled apart, and rested his forehead against hers.
"I love you Ron." Hermione whispered.
"Do you really mean it?" he asked, gazing into her eyes.
"With all my heart" she replied, pressing her lips to his once more . . .
~Would you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she'll figure out
I'm crazy for this girl~
~Fin~
A/N: Well it's pretty fluffy, and mushified but that's how most R/H stories are! I may possibly do a sequel, where Harry will come back from the war, and stuff, but that's only if people want me to do it. Please review, because I totally love to hear your comments (bad or good), and I know Ron and Hermione are a bit OOC, but what can I do? Until next time. Ja ne! Bandana Gurl ~_^